Electric shaver



Aug. 15, 1944.} H. E. PAGE ELECTRIC SHAVER Filed June 30. 1938 Patented Aug. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention pertains to a shaving device and more particularly to that type wherein power means is employed to operate the cutters or blades.

One of the objects is to provide simple and efllcient means to allow the surface of the cutter to roll freely over the skin instead of being dragged over the skin as in the ordinar electric razor.

Another object is to provide means, actuated by power, for moving those hairs, which normally point at an acut angle with the surface of the skin, to a position approaching the perpendicular with said surface, so that the cutting blades can act more efliciently.

Another object is to provide a cutter which may be used at practically any point of its cutting surface of 360, thus making unnecessary to use the razor in inconvenient, positions in order to shave certain portions of the face or body.

Another object is to provid a freely turning cutting head regardless of the internal pressure existing between the cutting edges.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the oscillating and rotating cutting head type.

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the rotating type.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the oscillating and rotating type.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the action of the rotating cutter on the angle of the hairs.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of another type of oscillating rotating cutter head.

In said drawing, I is the body of the shaving device at the left end of which is rigidly mounted a tube or bearing face 2 (Figure 1) An outer cutting head 3 has a hub 3a rotatably mounted on the tube 2 and i held in place by the collar 4; said cutting head 3 having cut ting slots as 5 pierced through it side walls (Figure 1).

An inner cutting head 6 is slidably mounted inside the outer cutting head 3 and the head 6 also has cutting slots 1 adapted to coincide with the slots 5 so that an oscillating motion of the inner cutting head 6 will tend to cut off any hairs which extend through the slots 5 and I (Figure 1).

The inner cutting head 6 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 8, said shaft 8 being journalled in and also being preferably slidably mounted in the tube or hearing 2 and having a solenoid plunger 9 mounted on its right end (Figure 1).

The solenoid plunger 9 is slidably mounted in the solenoid l0 and a spring ll act against the right end of the plunger 9 tending to move said plunger 9 to the left and the spring II also rests against the screw plug [2, said plug having a horizontally extending shaft 13 terminating in a knurled knob l4, and it will be evident that turning the knob to the right will increase the compressive force of the spring ll while turning the knob M to the left will decrease the compressive force, for purposes presently described (Figure 1).

The shaft 8 has a collar l5 rigidly fixed to same and a spring l6 acts against the collar l5 and tends to move the shaft 8, and consequently the plunger 9, to the right against the action of the spring ll; thus the plunger 9 is held balanced between two spring actions (Figure 1).

A collar I! is mounted on the shaft 8 and said collar engages with the insulated button 18 on the spring contact arm I 9, said spring arm being so tensioned or constructed that it tends to move away from the upper rigid contact arm 20 and the engagement of the collar 11 with the insulated button l8 keeps the contacts at the end of the contact arms l9 and 20 together (Figure 1).

The contact arms l9 and 20 are in series with the circuit of the solenoid Ill, so that when they are separated, current will cease flowing through the solenoid l0, and it will therefore be apparent that when current is supplied to the solenoid ID, the plunger 9 will be drawn to the right into the solenoid, and this movement of the solenoid plunger to the right will carry the collar ll away from the button i8 and hence allow the contact arm l9 to move by its own spring action down away from the contact arm 20, thus separating the contacts and shutting off the current supply to the solenoid i0, and allowing the spring II to move the solenoid plunger 9 to the left until the contact arms move together again, when the above action is repeated, thus setting up an oscillating motion in the solenoid plunger 9 (Figure 1).

The oscillating motion of the plunger 9 is aided by the fact that it is balanced between the forces of the springs II and i6, and it can be varied in its period of oscillation by turning the knob M to the left or right, as previously described (Figure 1).

The oscillating motion of th plunger 9 is transmitted through the shaft 8 to the inner cutting head 6 and causes the inner cutting head 6 to oscillate back and forth inside the outer cutting head 3, thus moving the slots 1 and relatively by one another, and therefore cutting off any hairs thrust through them (Figure 1).

It will now be observed that since the inner cutting head 6 is freely rotatable about the shaft 8, said inner head 6 is free to revolve along with the outer cutting head 3 about the bearing provided by the tube 2, and even though there might be considerable friction between the outer and inner cutting heads, this will, in no way, afiectthe ease with which the ou t a; head.3 can rotate when rolled acrgss thensurfaceof the skin, asbb'th heads will roll practically as'aunlt'in spit jf g the fact that the inner head 6 is beingfapidly oscillated along the longitudinal axis of the outer head 3 (Figure 1).

Therefore, it is possible to roll the cutting hea 3 easily over the surface of the skin in either direction, while the inner cutting head is being oscillated (Figure 1).

Figure 3 illustrates a similar oscillating-roller head construction, except that in this case, the axis of the cutting heads is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body instead of being parallel thereto, as in Figure 1.

In Figure 3, IN is the body at the left end of which is mounted a shaft I02 and an outer cutting head I03 is rotatably mounted on said shaft I02 and is held in place by the collar I04 (Figure 3).

An inner cutting head I06 is slidably mounted inside the outer cutting head I03 and both heads have cutting slots, as I01 and I05 respectively, adapted to coincide with one another, so that an oscillating motion of the inner cutting head I06 along the longitudinal axis of the outer cutting head I03 will cut off any hairs which protrude through the cutting slots I05 and I01 (Figure 3).

A rotary motor I I0 is mounted in the body IOI and a lever I08 pivoted at III has a forked opening at its right end which engages with the eccentric cam I09 so that upon rotation of said eccentric cam I09, an oscillatory motion is transmitted to the arm I08 (Figure 3) The left end of the arm I08 is forked and fits into a groove II2 on an upwardly extending projection of the inner cutting head I06, and it will be noted that any oscillating motion of the arm I08 is thus transmitted to the inner cutting head I06 and yet said head is free to turn with the outer cutting head I03 due to the groove H2, even though the inner cutting head I06 is being oscillated along its longitudinal axis by the arm I08 (Figure 3).

Figure 2 illustrates an outer rotating cutter head type in which the inner head also rotates and 20I is the body at the left end of which is rotatably mounted a shaft 202 to which is fixed the inner cutting head 206, so that the shaft 202 and the inner cutting head 206 revolve as a unit (Figure 2).

An outer cutting head 203 is freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 202 but said head is not fixed to the shaft and therefore the outer cutting head 203 can, for purposes presently described, be held relatively still while the inner cutting head 206 revolves inside the head 203 (Figure 2) The cutting heads 203 and 206 have cutting slots 205 and 201 respectively and said slots are adapted to coincide with one another in such a manner that if the outer cutting head 203 is held still or slowly rolled along the surface of the skin while the inner cutting head is rapidly revolving, then any hairs which protrude through the cutting slots will be sheared off (Figure 2) The upper end of the shaft 206 has fixed to it a gear 2|2 and said gear engages with another gear 2I3 on the left end of the motor shaft 200, said shaft terminating at its right end in the motor 2 I 0 (Figure 2).

It is now evident that when the motor 2l0 rotates the motor shaft 208, this rotating motion is transmitted through the gears 2I3 and 2|2 to the shaft 202, and thus to the inner rotating cutting head 206, and it will also be noted that any rotation of the inner cutting head 206 will, due to the natural friction existing between the cutting heads, tend to revolve the outer cutting head 203 in the sam direction as the inner cutting head 206 (Figure 2).

If, with both heads revolving, the outer cutting head 203 is brought into contact with the surface of the skin 220 as in Figure 4, the friction between the cutting heads will tend to draw the skin in an upward direction with the inner cutting head 206 revolving in a clockwise direction,

as shown by the arrow, and the outer cutting head 203 held in contact with the surface of the skin 220, and this upward thrust will draw the hairs 22I from their normal position of an acute angle, as shown at the top of the drawing to a position of approximately where the outer cutting head 203 is actually in contact with the skin surface 220 and with the hairs in this position they can pass much more easily through the slots 205 and 201 and are thus sheared off close to the skin surface 220 (Figure 4).

It will also be obvious that with the inner cutting head 206 revolving as shown, the outer cutting head 205 can be rolled up and down over the surface of the skin, but the drawing effect of the skin will always be in the direction of the arrow, and therefore whether the shaver is moved either upwardly or downwardly, the hairs will be raised into the proper cutting position, as previously described (Figure 4).

For purposes of clearness and in order to avoid confusion, the slots are not shown in the inner walls of the cutting heads, but it is understood that the cutting slots are pierced through all the available space on the side walls of the cutting heads.

In Figure 5 is shown a side elevation of an oscillating rotating cutter head in which 30l is the body in the left end of which is rotatably mounted an outer cutting head 303 having cutting slots 305, and said cutting head 303 can revolve freely on the shaft 302 (Figure 5).

A series of inner cutting blades 306 are rigidly attached to the shaft 302 and said shaft has fixed to its ends arms 304, one of which is shown (Figure 5).

The right ends of the arms 304 are joined by a cross piece and a pin 309 is adapted to engage in an elongated slot in the cross piece or yoke 301; the pin 309 being fixed in the disk 3l0 fixed to the motor shaft 308 (Figure 5).

It is now evident that if the shaft 308 is rotated, this will rotate the disk 3H) and the pin 309, and this rotating motion of the pin 309 in the elongated slot in the cross piece or yoke 301 will alternately raise and lower this cross piece in an oscillating motion, and this motion will be transmitted through the arms 304 to the shaft 302 and thence to the inner cutting blades 306, and these blades passing over the slots 305 in the outer cutting head 303 will shear off any hairs protruding through said cutting slots (Figure 5).

It is also apparent that while the cutting blades 306 are oscillating back and forth about the axis of the shaft 302, the outer cutting head 303 can be rolled across the surface of the skin, thus constantly presenting new hairs to be sheared off, as they protrude through the cutting slots (Figure In any form of my invention, there are freely rotatable perforated hollow rollers for rolling over the skin, by reason of friction or traction when being pressed on the skin, and an inner perforated cutter in the form of a roller nested in the outer roller, and power mechanism, as a solenoid or rotary motor, connected to the inner roller through suitable motion transmitting means to reciprocate, oscillate or rotate it relatively to the freely rotatable rollers to shear off the hairs projecting through perforations or slots of the inner and outer rollers.

What I claim is:

1. In a power operated shaving device, a suitable supporting body, a freely-rotatable, outer, substantially cylirgi ica cad for rolling over the skin surface'f'and anlrner cutter head nested inwnmer cutter head and movable relatively theretoi'po'wer means for actuating the inner cuttQji'EIfindependently of the outer freely-rotatable cutterhead, the cutter heads being formed with peripheral slots for receiving the hairs to be cut, the slotsoftffe inner cutter head being movablezinto and out of alinement with those of the outer cutter head to effect the cutting operation during-"rolling of the outer cutter head and movement of the inner cutter head relatively thereto? 2. In a power operated shaving device, a suitable supporting body, a freely-rotatable, outer, substantially cylindrical, cutter head for rolling over the skin surface, and an inner rotatable cutter head nested in the outer cutter head and movable relatively thereto about its axis, power means for rotating the inner cutter head independently of the outer freely-rotatable cutter head, the cutter heads being formed with peripheral slots for receiving the hairs, the slots of the inner cutter head being movable into and out of alinement with those of the outer cutter head to effect cutting operation during relative rotation of the inner cutter head about its axis relatively to the outer cutter head.

3. In a power operated shaving device, a suit able supporting body, a freely-rotatable, outer, substantially cylindrical, cutter head for rolling over the skin surface, and an inner cutter head slidable axially in the outer cutter head, power means for reciprocating the inner cutter head independently of the movement of the freelyrotatable outer cutter head, the cutter heads being formed with peripheral slots for receiving the hairs, the slots of the inner cutter head being movable into and out of alinement with those of the outer cutter head to effect the cutting operation during the rolling of the outer cutter head and reciprocating movement of the inner cutter head.

4. In a power operated shaving device, a suitable supporting body, a freely-rotatable, outer, cylindrical cutter head for rolling over the skin surface, and an inner cutter head nested in the outer cutter head and movable relatively thereto, power means for actuating the inner head including an electro-magnetic device within the hollow body and having a movable armature, and motion transmitting means extending within the body between the armature and the inner cutter Ubul UH ll\UUl ll head, and a make-and-break device in th feed circuit for the electro-magnetic device, the makeand-break device being operable by the movement of the armature.

5. In a power operated shaving device, a suitable supporting body, a freely-rotatably, outer, cylindrical, cutter head for rolling over the skin surface, and an inner cutter head nested in the outer cutter head and movable relatively thereto, power means for actuating the inner head including an electro-magnetic device within the hollow body and having a movable armature, motion transmitting means extending within the body between the armature and the inner cutter head, and a make-and-break device in the feed circuit for the electro-magnetic device, the make-and-break device being operable by the movement of the armature, and vibration-absorbing means acting on the armature, and said motion transmitting means, to balance the throw thereof.

6. In a power operated shaving device, a suitable supporting body, inner and outer substantially cylindrical cutter heads formed with peripheral perforations, the outer cutter head being freely rotatably in either direction during the movement of the cutter head over the skin surface, due to the traction of the outer head on said surface when under the pressure applied to hold the outer head against the skin, the inner cutter head being rotatable within the outer cutter head for moving the slots thereof into and out of alinement with the slots of the outer cutter head, motor means within the body, and motion transmitting means between the motor means and the inner cutter head only.

7. In a power operated shaving device, a suitable supporting body, inner and outer substantially cylindrical cutter heads, the inner cutter head being nested within the outer cutter head, the outer cutter head being freely rotatable, the cutter heads being formed with slots therethrough for receiving the hairs, and the inner cutter head being movable relative to the outer cutter head independently of the rolling motion of the outer cutter head, motor means within the body, and motion transmitting means between the motor means and the inner cutter head.

8. In a power operated shaving device, a suitable supporting body, a freely-rotatable, outer, substantially cylindrical, cutter head for rolling over the skin usrface, and an inner cutter head slidable axially in the outer cutter head, and also freely rotatable about its axis in the outer cutter head, power means for reciprocating the inner cutter head independently of the free rotating movement of the outer cutter head, the cutter heads being formed with peripheral slots for receiving the hairs, the slots of the inner cutter head being movable into and out of alinement with those of the outer cutter head to effect the cutting operation during the rolling of the outer cutter head and reciprocating movement of the inner cutter head.

9. In a dry shaver, a cutter head including a driven rotatory cutter element having radially disposed blades, and a hollow perforated cylindrical cutter element mounted in surrounding relation to and adapted for free turning movement with reference to the driven cutter element and for rolling engagement with the skin while the driven cutter element is being driven to turn independently of and with reference to said hollow cylindrical cutter element.

10. In a dry shaver, a cutter head including a driven rotatory cutter element having radially dis- 1o posed blades, and a hollow perforated cutter element circular in cross-section mounted in surrounding relation to and adapted for free turning movement with reference to the driven cutter element and for rolling engagement with the skin while the driven cutter element is being driven to turn independently of and with reference to said cutter element.

HERBERT E. PAGE. 

